Page 207 - Becoming a Successful Manager

198 BUILDING ON YOUR FOUNDATION

tion. Be alert to how staff members interact. Is there an atti-
tude of cooperation, or is there confl ict? If there is confl ict, is
it directed toward someone because of a perceived difference
between that person and others in the group? Is there an “in”
group and an “out” group? If so, what determines the “in” and
the “out”? Does the “in” group torment members of the “out”
group?
If you become aware of anyone’s privacy being invaded in any
way, be prepared to do something immediately. The sooner you
take action, the less arduous the correction will be. Remember, it’s
a lot easier to extinguish a campfi re than a forest fi re.

Take Action

Performance reviews, which are the subject of Chapter 13, cer-
tainly would be an opportunity to address harassment by an
employee, but don’t wait until the next scheduled review to take
action. Do it right away. The dialogue between you and your staff
member must be immediate as well as constructive, and it should
support as well as correct. Think of the performance review as
a process, not an event, which means that the observations and
conversations should be going on all the time.
When you identify what you think is inappropriate behavior,
acknowledge it right away to the person responsible; do it pri-

vately, and be specifi c. Specificity is essential because generalities
will create hostility and offer little or no chance to correct the situ-
ation. State clearly to the offender what was said or done, when,
where, to whom, and who else was present. In doing so, you frame
and direct the conversation, and you and your employee will be

talking about specific actions rather than general interpretations.

When your employee responds to specifics, there can be a suc-
cinct discussion that leads to a clear conclusion, but if you allow